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| Tourism players raise concern over curtailment of flight timings at Srinagar Airport | | | Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, June 16: People aspiring to visit Kashmir valley during the tourist season and Amarnath Yatra are all set to face difficulties as the Indian Air Force has decided to repair the runway at Srinagar International Airport. Due to the repairs the flight timings have been curtailed to 4:30 PM at the Srinagar International Airport.
The decision to carry out the repairs of the runway and curtailment of flight timings has come in for sharp criticism from the different stake holders. The valley based Travel Trade organizations registered their protest with the Director Airport Authorities of India, Srinagar Captain K S Rao over the disturbing development during a meeting.
Heads of organizations like Travel Agents Society of Kashmir (TASK), Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Alliance (JKTA) Association of Kashmir Tour Operators (AKTO), Urban Travel Agents Association (UTTA) and Adventure Tour Operators Association of Kashmir (ATOAK) met the Director AAI and expressed serious concern about the fallout of the timing of carrying out the repair work.
The stake holders suggested to the airport authorities that the repair work should be deferred till the culmination of Amarnath Yatra onAugust 10. The stake holders said that the airport authorities have chosen a wrong time to undertake repairs during peak tourist season and impending Amarnath Yatra.
"The repairs at the runway at this point of time would cause un-imaginable inconvenience to passengers who have made their travel arrangements and hotel bookings well in advance. The schedule would upset the programme of the intending tourists and yatries with their whole programme ending up in disarray," said the stakeholders during their meeting with airport authorities.
The stakeholders expressed surprise over the fact that the airport authorities have informed the airlines well in advance, but the communication has not been carried forward. They expressed shock over the failure of airlines operators in not informing their pre-booked passengers about the decision of closure of airport from 4.30 pm for two months with effect from June 15.
"Same holds true for people who are undertaking Amarnath Yatra commencing from June 28. The repairs will cause considerable loss to pleasure, adventure and religious tourism and damage Kashmir's fair name as a tourist destination due to this messed up situation.
As such it would be prudent for the airport authorities to defer the repairs for couple of months," said the stake holders.
It would be in place to mention here that flight timings were extended at the Srinagar international airport after demands were made in this respect over a long period of time. Some of the flights land as well as leave from the Srinagar airport after 4:30 PM. |
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